You don’t have to study agriculture or have experience in fresh produce to apply to the MDS graduate scheme! We take on Trainees from a vast range of degree backgrounds. Here’s how group 46 Trainee, Weronika Pawlowska utilised the skills she developed on her Psychology degree.

What made you decide to study a Psychology at university?

“I have always been fascinated by Psychology and how it can be applied to everyday life. Studying Psychology has enabled me to understand human behaviour. This includes social interactions, emotions, motivating factors and decision making. I believed that studying Psychology would help me develop interpersonal and transferable workplace skills that would help me succeed in my future career.”

 What made you decide to apply to the MDS graduate scheme?

“During my time at university, I spent two summers working for one of the UK’s largest handlers of fresh produce as a Sales Administrator. I quickly fell in love and knew I wanted to pursue a career in the food and fresh produce industry. The MDS grad-scheme offers great variety by offering four roles over two years. Roles range from technical field jobs to marketing. I knew that this broad range of roles was the perfect way to pursue a permanent after MDS. “

How has your Psychology degree helped you on the MDS graduate scheme?

“I constantly draw on the skills that I have learnt during my degree. Learning about Social Psychology has provided me with interpersonal skills. Understanding communication mechanisms is a great skill to have when adapting to a new environment and team dynamics every six months. The ability to critically analyse a problem, formulate a response, create an argument and generate a solution are also skills that have been very useful in each secondment, especially when dealing with databases and systems. My Psychology degree has provided me with outstanding foundations for the range of different secondments and roles.”

Why should people choose a career in food and fresh produce?

“It has a meaningful purpose. Whether your role is in the technical department, production and growing or marketing, knowing that the result of your daily contribution is helping to put fresh fruits, vegetables, and more on the plates of people all around the world is incomparable to other industries.  It is an industry that is essential to everyone. Furthermore, with the current stress on healthy eating, there has never been a more crucial time to be a part of an industry that actively and positively affects eating habits together.”

Do you think you are up to the challenge of the MDS graduate scheme? Find out more.